wait for the applause
by teanotes
Summary: —because he's quite the actor. "Serves you right," he grins.


Mirai watches as he reclines in his chair, shirt rising to the midriff, eyes closed in a perpetual state of meditation—though she knows it's all but that—and waits until he decides to finally grace her with his acknowledgement.

He makes her want to set him on fire, really.

"Hey, do you," he starts telling her, as she turns away to show she wasn't paying attention, "want to go eat at that cafe later?"

"I can't," she says, still a little miffed he has the gall to be charming. It's stupid, but Mirai tries to cling to every remaining reason to be angry, or else she'll only ever be a blubbering idiot around him, and that just wouldn't be fair.

"You're broke," Akihito says with a finality that she never gave him. Only for a moment, she makes an indignant sound before he smirks. "What, am I wrong?"

"Shut up," murmurs Mirai, and Akihito bursts out laughing. Ignoring him is hard, but she takes out a lollipop Mitsuki gave her before she left and sticks it into her mouth after unwrapping it, pretending it'll be enough for dinner.

"I can pay for you," he says, still grinning. Mirai knows there's truth in his words, but it doesn't cancel out his teasing.

She remembers he's not invincible anymore and considers a quick stab in the abdominal area—you know, as a warning. Not because she would want to take off his shirt and bandage him herself, of course.

"No," she tells him before she can think anymore further of shirtless, bleeding torsos. "Going anywhere with you is unpleasant."

Again, he stretches back on his chair, eyes closed, arms outstretched. Behind him are book shelves fully stocked with new novels and stories, a fresh smell gently wafting in the air thanks to Mirai's bonsai. The literature club room is empty, save for them, and sun is setting as it transitions to a pretty orange-yellow, which reminds Mirai of noodles that she can't afford.

"Then we don't have to go anywhere," Akihito complies. His infuriating smirk turns over to a small, appreciative smile, one that makes her stomach flop and brain go mushy. "I'll wait here with you until you want to go home."

This almost surprises her to the point where she has to pop out the lollipop in order to speak. "Really?"

"I've got nothing better to do," he shrugs. "And I'd rather stay here with my girlfriend than alone with omelette rice."

Girlfriend. It's The Word. The Word that Mirai has to refrain from violently twitching eveytime she hears, because there was a time before where friend was in its own category of achievement, and she's skipped that all the way here. And it feels satisfying.

"Omelette rice is good," she says instead.

"You're better," he says because she gave him the opportunity to.

She blushes and is about to take off her glasses to wipe, until he suddenly reaches across the desk, swipes her lollipop from her hand and immediately throws it into his mouth. Mirai only flushes redder.

"Senpai!" she exclaims. "That's mine!"

Akihito continues to roll the sucker in his mouth, showing off accordingly. "What's mine is yours and yours is mine."

"Give it back," she growls, both hands menacingly flat on the table.

"Get it back yourself," he laughs, and Mirai works out herself that she is in trouble.

She stands from her seat and walks around the table until she's facing his right side. Her hands lash out quickly to grab the lollipop from him, but he's miraculously faster and grabs both of her wrists in a tight hold.

Good heavens, that boy is still smiling. Only now, there's a flash of excitement glittering in his eyes and Mirai can just guess what it means.

There's laughter in his voice. "Take it from me, Mirai."

Every passing moment is a second closer to when she'd finally be a tomato reincarnated. After a moment of important hesitation, she bends down and attempts biting the lollipop stick away.

He's released her hands but she only feels them go limp as he plucks out the lollipop just in time before she presses her lips to his. His arms raise just a little bit higher to bring her fully down onto his lap and the tips of his fingers slightly brush below her neck before stroking her jawline.

They kiss, and break when Akihito mutters something about the glasses being in the way. He takes them off her and places it beside the lollipop on the table, left to be forgotten until a while later.

It's kind of late, but then Mirai realizes that maybe he said he only liked glasses because she wore them.

And it's kind of late, but Mirai also realizes he never really wanted that lollipop, after all.


End file.
